Memoir recalls 1974 bombing

A RETIRED Garda sergeant has recalled in a new book how he narrowly escaped death during one of the worst atrocities of the troubles.

Now retired and living in his native townland of Kilbrean, outside Killarney, Seán O’Sullivan traces his story from his early days growing up on a farm in the 1950s, cutting turf, serving as a garda in the border area during the “troubles”, to dealing with a varied assortment of characters while in uniform over a 38-year career. He recalls how he came within inches of losing his life on the day when 33 people were killed and about 300 were injured in the loyalist bombings of Dublin and Monaghan in May, 1974 — the largest number of casualties in any single day of the conflict in the north.

That year, Seán was stationed in Scotstown Garda Station, in Co Monaghan.